Studying Lake Michigan's currents

A team of researchers at Purdue is getting a better understanding of the currents in Lake Michigan.

Jun Choi, Purdue graduate student, poses in front of the dye patch just after it was released in Lake Michigan.

Credit Cary Troy / photo provided

Cary Troy, assistant professor of civil engineering, and four students spent most of last week on the lake taking measurements. He says they used a dye to trace the movements of the water in the deepest part of the southern basin.

Troy says the information gathered will have several applications. Computer models created could help control such things as an oil spill in the lake, or assist biologists studying marine life. He says the study is needed because what’s known about ocean currents doesn’t necessarily apply to lakes.

Troy and his team conducted the research about 37 miles southeast of Milwaukee.

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WBAA's Mike Loizzo talks with Cary Troy, assistant professor in Purdue's School of Civil Engineering, about research he and his team conducted on Lake Michigan's currents.

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